US20090106121A1 - Universal business to media transaction system - Google Patents

Abstract

A computer network based universal transaction system (CNBUTS) architecture that enables transaction between one or more offer providers and one or more customers relating to offers of wares (e.g., goods/services) by the offer providers. In one embodiment, the architecture of the CNBUTS includes a universal agent system, one or more offering systems and one or more marketplace systems. The universal agent system receives one or more offers of wares available for transactions. Each offering system enables offer providers to define the offer(s) of wares available for transaction. Each marketplace system receives the offer(s) of wares from the universal agent system, presents the customers the offer(s) of wares, receives transaction requests from the customers, and communicates received transaction requests to the universal agent system. The universal agent system communicates the offer(s) of wares from the offering system(s) to the marketplace system(s) and processes transaction requests received from the marketplace system(s).

Description

RELATED APPLICATION INFORMATION
• This application claims priority from U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/981,710 entitled “UNIVERSAL BUSINESS TO MEDIA TRANSACTION SYSTEM” filed on Oct. 22, 2007, which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
• The present invention relates generally to facilitating transactions among customer and offer providers, and more particularly to brokering of transactions relating to any goods or services in any business domain using multiple analog and digital media.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
• The Internet and other computer networks have proven to be a useful medium for connecting those who offer goods or services with persons seeking to obtain goods or services. For example, a patient might utilize the Internet to access their doctor's office Web site to schedule an appointment, a driver might access a car rental agency's Web site via the Internet to reserve a rental car, or a diner might utilize the Internet to access a restaurant's Web site to obtain a dinner reservation. In other examples, a person might order a pair of skis from a ski shop or an automobile part from an automobile parts dealer. In each of the foregoing examples, the ordering/scheduling function is integrated with the system that presents information about the available good/service. Furthermore, access to the system that presents information about the available goods/services may be limited to particular marketplaces. For example, the doctor's office, car rental agency's, restaurant's, ski shop's or parts dealer's Web site might be accessible via a Web portal, but not via a mobile phone portal or a digital television system. Additionally, the customers seeking goods/services may be presented with a myriad of different ordering/scheduling systems and processes in order to order/reserve a variety of differing goods/services since the customers directly interface with the offering systems.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
• The present invention provides for a computer network based universal transaction system (CNBUTS). The CNBUTS provides easy brokering of transactions relating to wares between customers and offer providers. In general, a “ware” is any good or service that an individual or an entity may reserve, schedule, order, buy, purchase, sell, deliver, provide, receive, rent, lease, or the like from/to another. The terms “ware” and “good/service” may be used interchangeably herein. In general, a “customer” is any individual or entity that may reserve, schedule, order, buy, purchase, receive, rent, lease, or the like a good or service. The terms “customer” and “buyer/client” may be used interchangeably herein. Further, a “transaction” refers to any activity involving a good or service including reserving, scheduling, ordering, buying, purchasing, selling, delivering, providing, receiving, renting, leasing, or the like of a good or service.
• The present invention provides universality by allowing for the inclusion of every customer who desires to participate and every offer provider who desires to participate through every analog and digital media (e.g. newspaper, billboard, Internet, ITV, cell phone, PDA, etc.) and through multiple marketplaces that desire to participate (e.g., universal portals, linked services portals, specialty portals, media portals, etc.).
• The CNBUTS includes a number of components that communicate with one another via computer networks. The computer networks may, in general, be any public network(s), any private network(s), or any combination of public and private network(s) that provide for the communication of data between devices connected to the network(s). Examples of such computer network(s) include the Internet, private switched telephone networks, cellular telephone networks, cable and satellite television networks, wireless networks, and the like.
• The present invention includes various aspects and features. In one aspect, an architecture of a CNBUTS that enables transactions between one or more offer providers and one or more customers, wherein the transactions relate to offers of wares by the offer providers, includes a universal agent system, one or more offering systems and one or more marketplace systems. The universal agent system is enabled to receive one or more offers of wares available for transaction. Each offering system enables offer providers to define one or more offers of wares available for transaction with customers. In this regard, an offer of wares defined by an offer provider may include information indicating whether or not the universal agent system is delegated authority to complete transactions with customers relating to the offer of wares. Each marketplace system is enabled to receive the one or more offers of wares from the universal agent system, present the customers the one or more offers of wares, receive transaction requests from the customers relating to the one or more offers of wares, and communicate received transaction requests to the universal agent system. The universal agent system communicates the one or more offers of wares from the one or more offering systems to the one or more marketplace systems and processes transaction requests received from the one or more marketplace systems.
• In another aspect, an architecture of a CNBUTS that enables transactions between one or more offer providers and one or more customers, wherein the transactions relate to offers of wares by the offer providers, includes a universal agent system implemented in the form of computer readable program code executable by a computer processor, a plurality of offering systems implemented in the form of computer readable program code executable by separate computer processors, a plurality of offering interface brokers, a plurality of marketplace systems implemented in the form of computer readable program code executable by separate computer processors, and a plurality of marketplace interface brokers. The universal agent system is enabled to receive one or more offers of wares available for transaction. Each offering system enables offer providers to define one or more offers of wares available for transactions with customers. In this regard, an offer of wares as defined by an offer provider may include information indicating whether the universal agent system is delegated authority to complete transactions with customers relating to the offer of wares. Each offering interface broker corresponds with one of the offering systems and provides an interface between its corresponding offering system and the universal agent system for communication via a computer network between the computer processor executing universal agent system program code and the computer processor executing offering system program code. Each marketplace system is enabled to receive the one or more offers of wares from the universal agent system, present the customers the one or more offers of wares, receive transaction requests from the customers relating to the one or more offers of wares, and communicate received transaction requests to the universal agent system. Each marketplace interface broker corresponds with one of the marketplace systems and provides an interface between its corresponding marketplace system and the universal agent system for communication via a computer network between the computer processor executing universal agent system program code and the computer processor executing marketplace system program code. The universal agent system communicates the one or more offers of wares from the offering systems to the marketplace systems using the offering and marketplace interface brokers and processes transaction requests received from the plurality of marketplace systems.
• Various refinements exist of the features noted in relation to the various aspects of the present invention. Further features may also be incorporated in the various aspects of the present invention. These refinements and additional features may exist individually or in any combination, and various features of the various aspects may be combined. These and other aspects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent upon review of the following Detailed Description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying figures.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
• For a more complete understanding of the present invention and further advantages thereof, reference is now made to the following Detailed Description, taken in conjunction with the drawings, in which:
• FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing one embodiment of a computer network based universal transaction system presenting involved actors and components; and
• FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the architecture of one example of a computing system that may be utilized in implementing various components of the computer network based universal transaction system.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
• FIG. 1 shows one embodiment of a computer network based universal transaction system (CNBUTS)100. The CNBUTS100 conforms to the business to media (B2M) transaction standard. In general, the B2M transaction standard specifies a standard that provides for the visualization of, and the buying, renting/scheduling of goods/services, simultaneously, in real time, and over multiple analog and digital media in multiple analog and digital marketplaces. The B2M transaction standard is more specifically described in a separate United States patent application filed contemporaneously herewith entitled “BUSINESS TO MEDIA TRANSACTION STANDARD” (which application claims priority from U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/981,722 filed Oct. 22, 2007), the entire disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein.
• The CNBUTS100 represents one possible implementation of the B2M transaction standard and it is done in digital and computer network enabled technology. As illustrated inFIG. 1, CNBUTS100 includes five (5) groups of actors and six (6) types of components. The five groups of actors are: buyers/clients110,marketplace suppliers120, the universaltransaction system operator130, offeringdevelopers140 and offerproviders150. The six types of components are:media interface122 and142,marketplace124, themarketplace interface broker132, theuniversal agent134, the offeringinterface broker136 and theoffering system144. The characteristics and roles of the various components of and actors involved in the CNBUTS100 are described below.
CNBUTS100 Components
• Themedia interfaces122,142 are a set of tools enabling communication through one-way media (e.g. billboards, newspapers, radio, analog TV, etc.) and two-way media (e.g. Internet, mobile phones, digital TV, etc.). One-way communication media are used by buyers/clients110 to get information frommarketplaces124, and two-way communication media are used betweenoffer providers150 and offeringsystems144 as well as between buyers/clients110 andmarketplaces124. In this regard, themedia interfaces142 operated by theoffering developers140 should provide for two-way communication, whereas themedia interfaces122 operated by themarketplace suppliers120 may provide for one-way or two-way communication. Sets of tools are different for digital media and analog media. Tools for digital media include, for example, web applications, digital television (DTV) applications, mobile web applications, local applications (e.g., graphical user interfaces), and the like. Tools for analog media include, for example, graphics, texts, sounds, and the like.
• Themarketplace component124 is a computer network enabled computer system where goods/services are available throughmedia interfaces122 to the buyers/clients110. In this regard,marketplaces124 may also be referred to herein asmarketplace systems124. Themarketplace124 offers goods/services available at theuniversal agent component134 to the buyers/clients110 and mediates within the transaction process of those goods/services between theuniversal agent134 and the buyers/clients110. Themarketplace124 is a separate computer system from theuniversal agent134 and uses the marketplaceinterface broker component132 to communicate with theuniversal agent134.
• The marketplace interface broker (MIB)132 is a tool enabling integration ofmarketplaces124 with theuniversal agent134. TheMIB132 provides functionality dependent upon different kinds of marketplaces124 (e.g. different technologies, different business domains, different business functionality, etc.) and the ability to be connected to theuniversal agent134. TheMIB132 communicates withuniversal agent134 through a computer network (not shown inFIG. 1).
• Theuniversal agent134 is a computer network enabled computer system capable of processing all kinds of transactions (e.g. buying, selling, renting, reserving, scheduling, etc.) of all kinds of goods/services on behalf of anoffer provider150 and the handling of those transactions betweenmarketplace interface brokers132 and offeringinterface brokers136. In this regard, theuniversal agent134 may also be referred to herein as theuniversal agent system134. Theuniversal agent134 passes the goods/services offer from the offering systems144 (placed there by offer providers150) to themarketplaces124 and informsoffer providers150 through theoffering systems144 about transaction requests from themarketplaces124. Theuniversal agent134 is connected via a computer network (not shown inFIG. 1) to one or more offering systems144 (the number ofservice offering systems144 is unlimited) usingoffering interface brokers136 and to one or more marketplaces124 (the number ofmarketplaces124 is unlimited) using marketplace interface brokers132. There is only oneuniversal agent134 in theCNBUTS100 which is capable of serving every type of business domain.
• The offering interface broker (OIB)136 is a tool enabling integration of offeringsystems144 with theuniversal agent134. TheOIB136 provides functionality dependent upon different kinds of offering systems144 (e.g. different technologies, different business domains, different logical approaches, etc.) and the ability to be connected to theuniversal agent134. TheOIB136 communicates with theuniversal agent134 through a computer network (not shown inFIG. 1).
• Theoffering system144 is a computer network enabled computer system where goods/services are defined and managed byoffer providers150. In theCNBUTS100 ofFIG. 1,offer providers150 define and manage goods/services with anoffering system144 through media interfaces142 (e.g. using web applications, DTV applications, mobile web applications, local applications). Theoffering system144 makes goods/services offered byoffer providers150 available to theuniversal agent134 and mediates in the transaction process of those goods/services between theuniversal agent134 and theoffer provider150. Theoffering system144 is a separate computer system from theuniversal agent134 and uses theoffering interface broker136 to communicate with theuniversal agent134.
CNBUTS100 Actors
• The role of buyers/clients110 is to buy/rent/reserve/schedule/etc. goods/services available onmultiple marketplaces124 throughmultiple media122. Although two buyers/clients110 are depicted inFIG. 1, there are no limits on the number of buyers/clients110 usingCNBUTS100.
• The role ofmarketplace suppliers120 is to providemarketplaces124 in any area of perceived market need (e.g. computer shops, car shops, hair-dressers, ski rentals, hotels, etc.).Marketplace suppliers120 usemarketplace interface brokers132 to integratemarketplaces124 with theuniversal agent134. More details regarding integration ofmarketplaces124 with theuniversal agent134 is provided in a separate United States patent application filed contemporaneously herewith entitled “BUSINESS TO MEDIA TRANSACTION BUSINESS PROCESS” (which application claims priority from U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/981,732 filed Oct. 22, 2007), the entire disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein. Themarketplaces124 can be unique (e.g. auto repair appointment reservations or auto parts purchase, etc.), linked (e.g. hotel, restaurant and rental car reservations) or universal (every registered offer provider, limited only by the parameters of the buyer/client search).Marketplace suppliers120 also providemedia interfaces122 for communication betweenmarketplaces124 and buyers/clients110. The media used for communication can be analog (e.g. newspapers, billboards, etc.) and/or digital (e.g. Internet, mobile phones, digital TV, etc.). It is a choice ofmarketplace suppliers120 what communication possibilities and which media are available for buyers/clients110. An unlimited number ofmarketplaces124 can be created and an unlimited number ofmarketplace suppliers120 can be involved in theCNBUTS100.
• The role of theuniversal agent supplier130 is to provide theuniversal agent134, which is responsible for exchanging information betweenoffering systems144 andmarketplaces124 in both directions and is responsible for completing transactions on behalf of anoffer provider150, if theoffer provider150 decides to delegate transaction handling to theuniversal agent134.
• Theoffering developer140 utilizes the offeringinterface broker component136 to develop and configure theoffering system144 for a specific category of goods/services (e.g. ski rental equipment reservations or ski equipment purchase), to define delegations to theuniversal agent134, and to name specific existingmarketplaces124 where the offer will be available to the buyers/clients110. More details regarding integration of offeringsystems144 with theuniversal agent134 are provided in a separate United States patent application filed contemporaneously herewith entitled “BUSINESS TO MEDIA TRANSACTION BUSINESS PROCESS” (which application claims priority from U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/981,732 filed Oct. 22, 2007), the entire disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein. The delegations to theuniversal agent134 may be sufficient to allow theuniversal agent134 to complete the transaction. Theuniversal agent134 may provide a universal service code (USC) associated with each good/service, which facilitates the use of one-way media for presenting those goods/services to the buyers/clients110 on themarketplaces124. However, a USC may not be required to use one-way media. In general, a USC is a unique sequence of letters, numerals, symbols or combination of letters, numerals and/or symbols that is associated with a particular good/service. USCs (in the context of reserving services) are more specifically described in a separate United States patent application filed contemporaneously herewith entitled “UNIVERSAL SERVICE CODE FOR RESERVATIONS” (which application claims priority from U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/981,725 filed Oct. 22, 2007), the entire disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein. There can be an unlimited number ofoffering systems144 categories and an unlimited number of offeringdevelopers140 can be involved in theCNBUTS100.
• The role ofoffer providers150 is to have an offer of goods/services, to give an access to those goods/services to theuniversal agent134 and to handle transactions incoming from theuniversal agent134 or (optionally) fully delegate transactions to theuniversal agent134. Although twooffer providers150 are depicted inFIG. 1, there are no limits on the number ofoffer providers150 usingCNBUTS100.
CNBUTS100 Interactions
• TheCNBUTS100 undertakes a number of actions/processes including, for example, offer construction, marketplace construction, and transaction processing.
• Offer Construction
• Theoffering developer140 develops anoffering system144 and, by using theoffering interface broker136, integrates thisoffering system144 with theuniversal agent134. Theoffer provider150 uses theoffering system144 to define goods/services, which will be available for transactions and describes those goods/services in theoffering system144 by defining their features such as, for example: price, needed resources, place, availability, etc. Theoffer provider150 may also include information indicating whether theuniversal agent134 is delegated authority to complete transactions relating to an offer of the goods/services. Using available features in theoffering system144, theoffer provider150 creates delegations by deciding which goods/service transactions will be handled by theoffer provider150 and which will be handled by theuniversal agent134. When theoffer provider150 decides that the offer is ready, theoffer provider150 commands theoffering system144 to place the offer with theuniversal agent134. Theoffering system144 does not have to be connected permanently to theuniversal agent134, but when not connected the goods/services without delegations will not be available to the buyers/clients110. Goods/Services without delegations are available only when theoffering system144 is connected to theuniversal agent134.
• Marketplace Construction
• Themarketplace supplier120, using themarketplace interface broker132 integrates a givenmarketplace124 with theuniversal agent134. Themarketplace supplier120 chooses at least one business domain from the domains available in theuniversal agent134 and develops at least onemedia interface122 through which buyers/clients110 will have an access to the goods/services from this domain. Themarketplace124 stays permanently connected through a computer network (not shown inFIG. 1) with theuniversal agent134 and presents to the buyers/clients110 up to date offers with available goods/services only.
• Transaction Processing
• The buyer/client110 gets the information about the offer and its availability on amarketplace124 through a chosenmedia interface122, which enables marketplace to buyer/client-directed communication. If thismedia interface122 also supports a return communication channel (e.g., it is two-way), the buyer/client110 uses it for completing the transaction for a chosen good/service. When the chosenmedia interface122 does not have a return channel, the buyer/client110 uses anotheravailable media interface122 with return communication capabilities to complete this transaction. As themarketplace124 stays connected to theuniversal agent134, the transaction request is transmitted, over a computer network (not shown inFIG. 1), immediately from themarketplace124 to theuniversal agent134. If theuniversal agent134 was given delegation for the chosen goods/services, it accepts or refuses the transaction. If not, the universal agent134 (over a computer network) informs theoffering system144 and theoffer provider150 about the transaction request. Theoffer provider150 decides whether to accept it or refuse it. When the transaction status is set, the universal agent134 (over a computer network) informs themarketplace124 about this status and themarketplace124 makes this information available to the buyer/client110 through a givenmedia interface122.
• Referring now toFIG. 2, one embodiment of anexemplary computing system200 that may be utilized to implement one or more of the various components of theCNBUTS100 is shown. For example, theuniversal agent134, theoffering systems144, and themarketplaces124 may be implemented usingseparate computing systems200 such as depicted inFIG. 2.Computing system200 depicted inFIG. 2 is not the only computing system architecture that be utilized to implement various components ofCNBUTS100 and differently configured computing systems or the like may be utilized. Further,multiple computing systems200 such as depicted inFIG. 2 may be utilized to implement a single component within theCNBUTS100.
• Computing system200 includes, among other components, aprocessor202,memory204, a data storage device206 (e.g., a hard drive), and a network connection device208 (e.g., an Ethernet card, a WiFi network card, a modem or the like).Computing system200 may include additional components that are not illustrated inFIG. 2 including, for example, a power supply, an input device (e.g., a keyboard, a pointing device), and an output device (e.g., a display). Theprocessor202 executescomputer program instructions210 stored inmemory204 and/or on thedata storage device206 that enable thecomputing system200 to provide the desired functionality of the component within theCNBUTS100 thatcomputing system200 is being used to implement.
• Thecomputer program instructions210 may, for example in the case ofcomputing system200 being used to implement amarketplace124, include instructions to provide the various functionalities of themarketplace124 including offering goods/services available at theuniversal agent134 to the buyers/clients110 via themedia interfaces122 and mediating in the transaction process of such goods/services between theuniversal agent134 and the buyers/clients110. In this regard, thecomputer program instructions210 executable by theprocessor202 of thecomputing system200 may also implement some portion or the entirety of themarketplace interface broker132 corresponding with themarketplace124.
• Thecomputer program instructions210 may, for example in the case ofcomputing system200 being used to implement theuniversal agent134, include instructions enabling thecomputing system200 to provide the various functionalities of theuniversal agent134 including passing goods/services offers from theoffering systems144 to themarketplaces124, informingoffer providers150 through theoffering systems144 about transaction requests from themarketplaces124, and processing (when delegated authority) on behalf of theoffer providers150 all kinds of transactions by buyers/clients110 of all kinds of goods/services. In this regard, thecomputer program instructions210 executable by theprocessor202 of thecomputing system200 may also implement some portion or the entirety of themarketplace interface brokers132 and the offeringinterface brokers136.
• Thecomputer program instructions210 may, for example in the case ofcomputing system200 being used to implement anoffering system144, include instructions to provide the various functionalities of theoffering system144 including enablingoffer providers150 to define and manage goods/services throughmedia interfaces142, making the goods/services offered byservice providers150 available to theuniversal agent134, and mediating in the transaction process between theuniversal agent134 and theoffer providers150. In this regard, thecomputer program instructions210 executable by theprocessor202 of thecomputing system200 may also implement some portion or the entirety of the offeringinterface broker136 corresponding with theoffering system144.
• While various embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail, further modifications and adaptations of the invention may occur to those skilled in the art. However, it is to be expressly understood that such modifications and adaptations are within the spirit and scope of the present invention.

Claims (23)

1. An architecture of a computer network based universal transaction system enabling transactions between one or more offer providers and one or more customers, wherein the transactions relate to offers of wares by the offer providers, said system comprising:

a universal agent system, said universal agent system being enabled to receive one or more offers of wares available for transaction, wherein the offers of wares are defined by the offer providers;

one or more offering systems, each said offering system enabling offer providers to define one or more offers of wares available for transaction with customers, wherein an offer of wares includes information indicating whether said universal agent system is delegated authority to complete transactions with customers relating to the offer of wares; and

one or more marketplace systems, each said marketplace system being enabled to receive the one or more offers of wares from said universal agent system, present the customers the one or more offers of wares, receive transaction requests from the customers relating to the one or more offers of wares, and communicate received transaction requests to said universal agent system;

wherein said universal agent system communicates the one or more offers of wares from said one or more offering systems to said one or more marketplace systems; and

wherein said universal agent system processes transaction requests received from said one or more marketplace systems.

2. The system ofclaim 1 further comprising:

one or more offering interface brokers, each said offering interface broker corresponding with one of said offering systems and being enabled to connect said corresponding offering system with said universal agent system for communication there between via a computer network.

3. The system ofclaim 1 further comprising:

one or more marketplace interface brokers, each said marketplace interface broker corresponding with one of said one or more marketplace systems and being enabled to connect said corresponding marketplace system with said universal agent system for communication there between via a computer network.

4. The system ofclaim 1 further comprising:

at least one media interface providing at least one-way communication from said one or more marketplace systems to the customers, wherein the offers of wares available for transaction are communicated from said one or more marketplace systems to the customers via said at least one media interface.

5. The system ofclaim 4 wherein said at least one media interface provides two-way communication between said one or more marketplace systems and the customers, wherein the transaction requests are communicated from the customers to said one or more marketplace systems via the same said at least one media interface.

6. The system ofclaim 4 further comprising:

at least one additional media interface providing at least return channel communication from the customers to said one or more marketplace systems, wherein the transaction requests are communicated from the customers to said one or more marketplace systems via said at least one additional media interface.

7. The system ofclaim 1 further comprising:

at least one media interface enabling two-way communication between said one or more offering systems and the offer providers, wherein the at least one media interface enables operation of said one or more offering systems by the offer providers to define offers of wares available for transaction.

8. The system ofclaim 1 wherein the offer providers directly control operation of said one or more offering systems to define offers of wares available for transaction.

9. The system ofclaim 1 wherein said universal agent system completes transaction requests received from said one or more marketplace systems for offers of wares including information indicating that said universal agent system is delegated authority to complete transactions.

10. The system ofclaim 1 wherein at least one offer of wares includes information indicating that said universal agent system is not delegated authority to complete transactions relating thereto, and wherein said universal agent system informs the offer providers about the transaction requests for which said universal agent system is not delegated authority to complete through said one or more offering systems.

11. The system ofclaim 1 wherein said universal agent system, said one or more offering systems, and said one or more marketplace systems each comprise a separate computer processor and software code separately executable by said separate computer processors.

12. The system ofclaim 11 wherein said separate computer processors comprising said universal agent system and said one or more offering systems are connectable via a computer network, and wherein said separate computer processors comprising said universal agent system and said one or more marketplace systems are connectable via a computer network.

13. The system ofclaim 1 wherein said system includes only a single universal agent system communicating offers of wares from a plurality of offering systems to a plurality of marketplace systems and processing transaction requests received from said plurality of marketplace systems.

14. The system ofclaim 1 wherein a ware offered by the one or more offer providers comprises a service.

15. The system ofclaim 1 wherein a ware offered by the one or more offer providers comprises a good.

16. The system ofclaim 1 wherein a ware offered by the one or more offer providers comprises a combination of a good and a service.

17. An architecture of a computer network based universal transaction system enabling transactions between one or more offer providers and one or more customers, wherein the transactions relate to offers of wares by the offer providers, said system comprising:

a universal agent system implemented in the form of computer readable program code executable by a computer processor, said universal agent system being enabled to receive one or more offers of wares available for transaction, wherein the offers of wares are defined by the offer providers;

a plurality of offering systems implemented in the form of computer readable program code executable by separate computer processors, each said offering system enabling offer providers to define one or more offers of wares available for transaction with customers, wherein an offer of wares includes information indicating whether said universal agent system is delegated authority to complete transactions with customers relating to the offer of wares;

a plurality of offering interface brokers, each said offering interface broker corresponding with one of said offering systems and providing an interface between said corresponding offering system and said universal agent system for communication via a computer network between the computer processor executing universal agent system program code and the computer processor executing offering system program code;

a plurality of marketplace systems implemented in the form of computer readable program code executable by separate computer processors, each said marketplace system being enabled to receive the one or more offers of wares from said universal agent system, present the customers the one or more offers of wares, receive transaction requests from the customers relating to the one or more offers of wares, and communicate received transaction requests to said universal agent system;

a plurality of marketplace interface brokers, each said marketplace interface broker corresponding with one of said one or more marketplace systems and providing an interface between said corresponding marketplace system and said universal agent system for communication via a computer network between the computer processor executing universal agent system program code and the computer processor executing marketplace system program code;

wherein said universal agent system communicates the one or more offers of wares from said plurality of offering systems to said plurality of marketplace systems using the offering and marketplace interface brokers; and

wherein said universal agent system processes transaction requests received from said plurality of marketplace systems.

18. The system ofclaim 17 wherein a ware offered by the one or more offer providers comprises a service.

19. The system ofclaim 17 wherein a ware offered by the one or more offer providers comprises a good.

20. The system ofclaim 17 wherein a ware offered by the one or more offer providers comprises a combination of a good and a service.

21. The system ofclaim 17 wherein the offer providers directly control operation of said plurality of offering systems to define offers of wares available for transaction.

22. The system ofclaim 17 wherein said universal agent system completes transaction requests received from said plurality of marketplace systems for offers of wares including information indicating that said universal agent system is delegated authority to complete transactions.

23. The system ofclaim 17 wherein at least one offer of wares includes information indicating that said universal agent system is not delegated authority to complete transactions relating thereto, and wherein said universal agent system informs the offer providers about the transaction requests for which said universal agent system is not delegated authority to complete through said plurality of offering systems.

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